Automatic musical instrument



PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

W. H. REES. AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 22, 1903.

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PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904.

W. H. REES.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIGATI ON FILED MAY 22, 1903.

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No. 751,808. PATENTED FEB. 9, 1904. W. H. REES.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION'PILBD MAY 22, 1903.

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W I In t/enfoavies 56 s TJHFees UNITED STATES Patented February 9,1904:.

WILLIAM H. REES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.-'751,808, datedFebruary 9, 1904:.

Application filed May 22, 1903. Serial No. 158,329. (No model.)

To all whom it Wmy concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. REEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Automatic Musical Instrument, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic mechanism which has been designedfor playing an organ having two or more sets of reeds, pipes, or othersounding appliances. The invention may also be applied to other types ofmusical instruments.

The especial object of this invention is to provide a simple andefficient switch mechanism for permitting the desired notes beingsounded on one manual of an organ or similar instrument and at the sametime cutting said note or said notes out of the chord which is beingsounded on the other manual.

To these ends this invention consists of the parts and combination ofparts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out inthe claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying three sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentaryview of a part of aniusic-sheet or perforated paper for controlling anautomatic musical instrument constructed according to this invention.Fig. 2 1s a transverse sectional view of sufficient parts of a musicalinstrument to illustrate the application of my invention thereto. Fig. 3is fragmentary view showing part of the trackerboard, and Fig. 1 is asectional view illustrating a modified construction.

In a prior application for patent filed by me October 18, 1902, SerialNo. 127 ,793, I have shown, described, and claimed apneumatically-controlled set of connections for automatically playing anorgan or similar-instrument in which the sounding of notes upon one orthe other manual, as desired, or the production of a coupled effect ismade to depend upon specially-perforated paper and the use of atracker-board having double the ordinary number of channels-that is tosay, in my prior application for patent I have shown a mechanism whichpractically combines a switching mechanism with the playing connectionsfor each note.

The especial object of my present invention is to provide a simplifiedand improved construction in which a switch-actuating mechanism isemployed which is common to the connections for sounding all of thenotes.

A mechanism constructed according to this invention instead of beingcontrolled from a tracker-board having double the ordinary number ofchannels and by especially perforated paper is designed to be controlledfrom a tracker-board having one channel for each note across the widthof the tracker-board and in addition thereto a single channel foroperating the switch-actuating mechanism for selecting which one of themanuals or set of sounding devices certain notes will be sounded upon.

Referring to the drawings for a detail description of an apparatusembodying my invention, as shown in the second sheet of drawings, Tdesignates the tracker-board. The tracker-board T, as hereinillustrated, is provided across its face with ordinary channels 10,corresponding to the notes of the organ or other instrument, and with asingle or special end channel 11 for operating the switch-actuatingmechanism. The tracker-board T, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, maybe inclosed in a pressure-chamber 12, and the paper or music-sheet maybe drawn over the trackerboard by any of the ordinary appliances, whichit is not necessary to herein show or describe, the shape and proportionof the pressurechamber 12 in the present illustration being diagrammaticmerely. Leading from the ordinary channels 10 of the tracker-board T arethe pipes or passages 13. Leading from the end perforation 11 of thetracker-board T is a passage or pipe 1 1, connected to admit pressure tooperate a pneumatic 15. The pneumatic 15 raises a valve 16 to cut offthe pressure-chamber 17 and vent the pneumatic 18. When the pneumatic 18has been vented, it is shifted by the pressure in the chamber 19.Operated by the pneumatic 18 are valves 20 and 21, which are arranged sothat when the diaphragm 18 is shifted by pressure in the chamber 19pressure will be admitted to a passage 22. Operated by the pressure fromthe passage 22 are a series of pneumatics corresponding with the numberof notes. In the present instance but a single set of operatingconnections appear in Fig. 2, it being understood that the passage 22 iscommon or connects to the entire series of devices. As shown herein, 23designates one of the pneumatics controlled by the pressure in thechannel 22. Extending from the pneumatic 23 is a long valve-stem 24. Thevalve-stem 24 extends through a pressure-chamber 26 and carries valvesor pallets 27. WVhen pressure is admitted to the passage 22, thepressure on diaphragm or pneumatic 23 is equalized, so that the pressurein the chamber 26, acting on the pallets or valve 27, shifts the longvalve-stem 24. The long valve-stem 24 extends through a packing orflexible pressureretaining piece 28 into a switch-box. The switch-box,as herein shown, is divided into two compartments A and B by thediaphragms 31 and 32. The diaphragms 31 and 32 are connected to thevalve-stem 24, and also secured on the valve-stem 24 are the valves 29and 30 for closing the inlets to compartments A and B of the switch-box.The long valvestem 24 is supported on the spring-arms 25, which insurethe proper seating of the valves. Connected to the tracker-board pipe orchannel 13 are branches 33 and 34, which connect with the compartments Aand B, respectively. lonsidering now the action of these parts whenstanding in the normal position (illustrated in Fig. 2) it will be seenthat when airpressure is first admitted through the trackerboard pipe orpassage 13 to the compartment B an unbalanced pressure will be exertedupon the diaphragm 32, and inasmuch as the diaphragm 32 is ofcomparatively large area and has an active surface considerably inexcess of the switch-operating diaphragm or pneumatic 23 it will be seenthat the admission of pressure to the compartment B will maintain theparts in their normal position even in spite of the admission ofpressure to that channel 22 which is common to all theswitch-controlling diaphragms. The compartments A and B of the switchboxare connected to sound the same note upon two diiferent manuals of theorgan, and when a note is being sounded upon one manual by reason ofpressure being admitted to compartment B it will be seen that theswitching devices are locked, as it were, by unbalanced pressure incompartment B, so that said switching devices can not operate so long aspressure is maintained in such compartment, and, on the other hand, whenthe switchvalve 27 has been thrown to its other position and pressureadmitted into compartment A said pressure in compartment A will alsoserve to maintain or lock the parts in their other position. It resultsfrom this that when a chord or a number of notes are being sounded byreason of pressure being admitted through certain ones of thetrackerboard channels, if, while said notes are being sounded, pressureis admitted through the switch-channel of the tracker-board all theswitching devices of the remaining notes of the organ will be shiftedfrom normal position, except such notes as are being actually played orsounded upon the normal manual, and if after such switching action hastaken place pressure is admitted to any other ones of the tracker-boardchannels notes will be sounded or played upon the other manual or set ofsounding devices of the organ.

The connections between the compartments A and B and the speakingappliances may be of any usual or ordinary form. For example, as hereinillustrated the compartment A is connected by a pipe or passage 35 tooperate a diaphragm 36, and the diaphragm 36 lifts the valves or palletsfor admitting pressure from a chamber 37 to a pipe 38, and in the samemanner the compartment B is connected by a pipe 39 to operate apneumatic 40 to raise the pallets or valves for admitting pressure froma chamber 41 to a pipe 42. The pipe 38 sounds the note on one manual ofthe organ while the pipe 42 sounds the same note upon the other manualof the organ.

In an apparatus constructed according to my invention the pipes 38 and42 can never act simultaneously, or, in other words, so far as thedevices of this invention are concerned when a note is being soundedupon one manual it will not be sounded upon the other manual.

I am of course aware that it has already been proposed to utilize one ormore channels of a tracker-board to throw in what are known asmelody-stops, but in such constructions all notes of the melody or uppermanual must also be sounded in the accompaniment or bass of the lowermanual. The simultaneous sounding of the melody in both manuals of anorgan I regard as objectionable, as it prevents the production of suchartistic effects as can be secured only by keeping the melody distinctand separate from the accompaniment. For example, in any musicalcompositions certain notes after being played upon the upper manual oras a melody are repeated as a refrain on the lower manual; but inplaying devices provided with the so-called melodystops the simultaneoussounding of the melody on both manuals of the organ completely destroysthe eii'ectiveness ot' repeating the melody on the lower manual alone asa refrain.

Referring to the first sheet of drawings for a description of theperforated paper employed for controlling an apparatus constructedaccording to this invention, the perforations made across the Width ofthe paper P are all intended to control or sound the notes of theinstruments, except a single line of perforations .9 along one edge ofthe paper, which perforations s operate the switch mechanism. Whether anote corresponding to any particular line of perforations will besounded upon the upper manual or the lower manual of the organ dependsupon whether such perforation is in advance of a switch-controllingperforation. For example, the chord represented by the first transverseline of perforations includes a perforation g, which is in advance ofthe switch-perforation, and hence sounds a note in the lower manual oraccompaniment, and a perforation m, which is slightly behind theswitch-perforation s and which therefore sounds a note of the melody oron the upper manual. In the chord represented by the second transverseline of perforations three notes, will be sounded in the accompanimentor lower manual, one note, m, in the melody or upper manual. The third,fourth, and fifth chords are of the same character; but in the sixthchord it will be seen that a long switchperforation s is in advance ofall the notes. Therefore all the notes which are sounded while this longswitch-perforation is open will be played upon the upper manual ormelody. The chord represented by the last transverse line not beingaffected by any switch-perforation will be sounded entirely upon thelower manual. So far as the control of my mechanism by the perforatedpaper is concerned each manual is sounded entirely independent of theother, and if it is desired to sound both manuals in unison the operatorcan readily employ mechanical coupling appliances.

In the third sheet of drawings I have illustrated a modifiedconstruction. Referring to Fig. 4, 43 designates the pipe or channelwhich is connected to the channel 11 of the trackerboard. The pipe 43admits pressure to operate a diaphragm 44, which diaphragm 44 controls avalve 45 to admit pressure from chamber 46 to operate the two diaphragms47 and 48. The diaphragm 47 operates the pallets or valves for cuttingoff the pressure from chamber 46 to the pipe or passage 49, and thediaphragm 48 opens a valve for admitting pressure to the pipe 50.Pressure from the pipe 49 actuates a pneumatie52 to shift the longvalve-stem 53, and pressure admitted through the pipe 50 acts ondiaphragm 51 to shift the long valve-stem 53 in the opposite direction.The valve-stem 53 extends through a switchbox of substantially the sameconstruction as that illustrated in Fig. 2-that is to say, thisswitch-box comprises compartments A and B, which are separated bydiaphragms 54 and 55.

The diaphragms 54 and 55 are carried by the long valve-stem 53, and alsosecured on the valve-stem 53 are the valves 59 and 60 for closing theentrance to compartments A and B, respectively.

58 designates one of the tracker-board pipes, which are connected to theordinary trackerboard channels, and the pipe 58 connects throughbranches 56 and 57 to the compartments A and B, respectively. Pressurefrom compartment A is admitted through pipe 61 to actuate a pneumaticwhich operates the pallets or valves for admitting pressure from chamber63 to pipe 64. If desired, the pipe 64 may be led directly to thespeaking devices of the organ; but in some instances pipe 64 may openthrough check-valve into a valvebox 65. Also opening .throughacheck-valve into the box 65 is a pipe 67, by means of which a note maybe sounded when the organ is to be played manually. The valve-box 65 isconnected through pipe 66 to the speaking devices in the usual way. Inthe same manner pressure from compartment Bis admitted through pipe 68to actuate the pneumatic 69 to shift the pallets or valves for admittingpressure from chamber 7 0 through pipe 71 to valve-box 72. Pressure tothe valve-box 72 may also be admitted through pipe 74 when it is desiredto sound anote manually, and the Valve-box 72 connects through pipe 73to the speaking mechanism.

In the present application for patent] have not shown the reeds, pipes,or other speaking instrumentalities themselves, as these devices may beof the ordinary types,which need not be herein shown or described. It isalso to be understood that throughout the specification and claims Ihave referred to the two notes which are to be selected and controlledfrom the same channel of the tracker-board as a note of an upper manualand a note of a lower manual,respectively. I do not mean that said notesnecessarily differ in pitch or even that they should be sounded bydifferent characters of speaking instrumentalities. For example, the twonotes controlled from one channel of the tracker board may be sounded onthe same set of pipes or reeds differing from each other by an octave orother interval of pitch.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in practicing thisinvention by those who are skilled in the art without departing from thescope thereof as expressed in the claims. Ido not wish, therefore, to belimited to the construction I have herein shown and described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a construction of the class described, the combination of an uppermanual, a lower manual, a tracker-board channel, connections to controlthe speaking mechanism either in the upper manual or in the lower manualand including means for preventing a note sounded in the upper manualfrom being simultaneously sounded in the lower manual.

2. In a construction of the class described, the combination of upperand lower manuals, a tracker-board having channels, each one of which isconnected to control a note in the upper manual and also a note in thelower manual and means for preventing the same note from beingsimultaneously sounded in both manuals.

3. In a construction of the class described, the combination of upperand lower manuals,

.a tracker-board having channels, a switch connecting each channel tocontrol a speaking mechanism of the upper manual or a speaking mechanismof the lower manual and means for shifting all of the switches exceptthose corresponding to the note or notes being sounded, whereby notessounded in advance of the operation of the switches will be played inone manual and notes sounded while the switches occupy their shiftedpositions will be sounded in the other manual.

4. In a construction of the class described, the combination of upperand lower manuals, a tracker-board having channels, a switch connectingeach of said channels to control a speaking mechanism to sound a noteeither in the upper manual or in the lower manual and means for shiftingall the switches except those which correspond to the note or notesbeing sounded, the switches in normal position connecting tracker boardchannels to sound notes of the bass or accompaniment on the lowermanual, said switches when occupying their shifted positions connectingthe channels to sound notes of the melody or air in the upper manualalone.

5. In a construction of the class described, the combination of upperand lower manuals, a tracker-board, switches for connecting each of thetracker-board channels to sound a note either in the upper manual or inthe lower manual, tracker-board-controlled means for shifting all theswitches except those corresponding with the note or notes being soundedand a perforated music-sheet having a line of switch-controllingperforations and a plurality of rows of note-perforations, thenote-perforations having edges in advance of the switch controllingperforations sounding notes on one manual while note-perforations whoseedges are in alinement with switch-perforations sound notes upon adifferent manual.

6. In a construction of the class described, the combination oftracker-board channels and a switch mechanism for each of said channels,said switch mechanism comprising a switchbox having two compartments,one controlling a speaking mechanism for sounding a note in one manualand the other controlling a speaking mechanism for sounding a note in adifferent manual.

7. In a construction of the class described, the combination of atracker-board having channels, and a switch mechanism for each of saidchannels, said switch mechanism comprising a switch-box having twocompartments, one of which controls a speaking mechanism to sound a notein one manual and the other compartment of which controls a speakingmechanism to sound a note in a different manual and means whereby theexistence of pressure in one of said compartments will prevent pressurebeing admitted to the other of said compartments.

8. In a construction of the class described, the combination of atracker board and a switch mechanism for each channel of thetracker-board, comprising a switch-box hav ing two compartments, onecontrolling a speaking mechanism to sound a note in one manual and theother controlling a speaking mechanism to sound a note in anothermanual, valves controlling the inlets into said compartments and twodiaphragms, each one of which is acted upon by the pressure in one ofsaid compartments to hold the inlet-valve of the other compartmentclosed.

9. In a construction of the class described, the combination, of atracker-board, and a switch mechanism for each channel of thetracker-board comprising a switch-box having two compartments, each oneof which is independently connected to control the speaking devices forsounding a note in one manual, inlet-valves for said compartments, andconnections between said inlet-valves for closing one valve when theother valve opens, means for causing the pressure in one compartment tohold the inlet-valve of the other compartment closed, pneumatic meansfor shifting the inlet-valves at times when there is no pressure ineither of said compartments, and tracker-board connections forcontrolling said pneumatic means.

10. In a construction of the class described, the combination of atracker-board and a switch mechanism for each channel of thetracker-board comprising a switch-box having two compartments,controlling speaking devices sounding a note for different manuals,avalve-stem carrying valves for said compartments, a diaphragm connectedto the valvestem and acted upon by the pressure in one compartment forholding the inlet-valve of the other compartment closed and a diaphragmof smaller power for shifting the val ve-stem at times when no pressureexists in either of said compartments.

11. In a construction of the class described, the combination of atracker-board, a switch mechanism for each channel of the tracker- IIOboard comprising two compartments, and to simultaneously operate such ofthe valve- 1 means controlled by the pressure in one comshifting meansas are free to be shifted. partment for closing the inlet-valve of theIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set other compartment,avalve-shifting pneumatmy hand in the presence of two subscribing icallyactuated means which is powerful witnesses.

enough to be operated only at such times XVILLIAM H. REES. when there isno pressure in either compart- Witnesses:

ment, and means controlled from a marginal LoUIs WV. SOUTI-IGATE,tracker-board channel for admitting pressure MARY E. REGAN.

